In a trio of $68,493 divisions of the fourth leg of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series at MGM Yonkers Raceway on Monday, April 20, Captain Albano and Mossdale Ben N scored for the second time in the series, while Howlenthehills got his first Borgata victory.
Captain Albano waited in the pocket behind Sweet Beach Life (Matt Kakaley) through fractions of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:25, and when Todd McCarthy sent Captain Albano to the outside in the lane, he out-finished the pacesetter to prevail by a neck in 1:52. Soho Firestone A (Scott Zeron) finished in the third spot.
A two-time Dan Patch Award recipient, the Noel Daley-trained Captain Albano is a five-year-old Captaintreacherous-Angelou stallion owned by Patricia Stables of Massapequa, New York, L A Express Stable of Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, Sjoblom Racing of Delray Beach, Florida and Michael Dolan of Sarasota, Florida. Captain Albano is a 28-time victor from 49 outings and has pocketed $2,901,730. He paid $2.72 to win as the 1-5 choice.
Mossdale Ben N, driven by Jim Marohn Jr., backed up his triumph last Monday as he tallied in the first section in 1:52.1. He got to the lead around Donegal Luther N (Yannick Gingras) before the :27.2 quarter and continued to show the way through a :56.4 half and a 1:24.2 three-quarters. Catalpa Rescue A (Zeron) pestered him from first-up to the third station and Coaches Corner (Jason Bartlett) worked out a second-over journey. Coaches Corner was sent three-wide by Bartlett on the final bend and gained on Mossdale Ben N to the wire, but not enough, as Mossdale Ben N hit the line a neck in front. Donegal Luther N wound up third.
An eight-year-old gelding by A Rocknroll Dance-Mossdale Sue, Mossdale Ben N is trained by Peter Tritton for owner PJT Investments of Madison, Connecticut. Mossdale Ben N has 21 wins and has earned $938,208. He returned $4.64 to win as the 6-5 favourite.
Howlenthehills, driven by Matt Kakaley, won an early skirmish for command and went on to a 1:52.3 victory in the second flight. Aroda N (Lauren Tritton), Aye Aye Captain N (Brent Holland) and Howlenthehills all showed early speed, but it was Howlenthehills who touched down on the point prior to the :27.3 quarter as Aye Aye Captain N found the pocket and Aroda N landed in the three-hole. Middle-half panels of :56.4 and 1:24.1 followed for Howlenthehills, and his :28.2 kicker got him to the wire 1-1/4 lengths ahead of Twisted Destiny (Dexter Dunn). The latter went first-up from fourth before three-quarters and flushed out eventual third-place finisher Aye Aye Captain N from the two-hole, then out-finished him for second.
Travis Alexander sent out Howlenthehills, a five-year-old gelded son of American Ideal-Arielle Lynn, for owners M Spacc Stables of Pleasant Valley, New York, Fiddler S Creek Stables of Naples, Florida, Alexander Racing Stable of Delray Beach, Florida and First Sight Stable of Kearny, New Jersey. Howlenthehills made his 17th career trip to the winner's circle and has now put away $1,113,943 in 49 starts. He paid $18.06 to win as an 8-1 offering.
The last preliminary round in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series will take place on Monday, April 27 before the $200,000 USD (added) final and $100,000 USD (guaranteed) consolation on Friday, May 8.
Stakes action at Yonkers continues this week with the $100,000 USD final and $50,000 USD consolation of the John Brennan Trotting Series on Wednesday and three $50,000 USD divisions of the final leg of the MGM Ursula McIntyre Pacing Series on Friday.
This is the final week that Yonkers is on the Monday-through-Friday live racing schedule for a while as the oval will switch to a Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-through-Saturday slate beginning next week and continuing through the first week in June. Post time will be 6:45 p.m. except Saturday, as those programs will kick off at 3:30 p.m.
(With files from Yonkers Raceway)